Non-oil and gas export growth target 'moderate'

Mustaqim Adamrah ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 02/09/2010 7:05 PM  |  Business

The Trade Ministry’s target of increasing non-oil and gas exports this year by between 7 percent and 8.5 percent from a year earlier is deemed moderate, the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) says.
 
"The Trade Ministry's estimation is quite moderate," Apindo chairman Sofjan Wanandi told The Jakarta Post Tuesday.
 
He said the world's economy was showing positive growth this year.
 
Therefore, he said, it was normal to see higher demand and prices for Indonesian products this year, both of which would cause non-oil and gas exports to expand.
 
“But our exports will grow more based on higher prices than on demand,” Sofjan said.
 
“On the other hand, our manufacturing sector is not growing much because there is [relatively] no new investment coming in.”

He emphasized that the country’s main concern was unemployment, which he said could be addressed by fresh investment.
 
Moreover, he said, Indonesia would continue to export large amounts of raw materials, rather than finished products.

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